RED
by Infinite Grace
Summary: Annabeth Chase knows that love is a dangerous game to play. She's been burned before, and she's determined not to be burned again. However, after meeting Percy Jackson, it's not long before she breaks that oath. But can she overcome her fears of falling in love? Or will she not only break Percy's heart, but her own? AU - Based on Taylor Swift's album: 'Red'.
1. Chapter 1: Begin Again

**Disclaimer: I do not own the PJO or the HoO series. That would be Rick Riordan.**

**Yes, this is AU! So Annabeth, Percy, and the rest of the gang are not demigods.**

**This came to me while listening to Taylor Swift's new album, RED! It is multi – chap, and there will be a whole plotline incorporating all 16 songs on the album. This is sort of a song – fic, but not really… it's complicated – just read and enjoy! Reviews are welcome :) Thanks!**

Begin Again

_Took a deep breath in the mirror  
He didn't like it when I wore high heels  
But I do  
Turned the lock and put my headphones on  
He always said he didn't get this song  
But I do, I do_

I straighten out my simple white sundress as I glance at myself in the mirror. Hair up, in a simple ponytail, strands carefully falling around my face, and nice wedges to go with the dress. Not bad, considering that I haven't been on a date in over half a year. 8 months and 3 days, to be exact.

Outside, the sun sets on a beautiful August Wednesday evening. The kind where there are some clouds on the horizon, but they look puffy light grey in the distance. The sky is pink and purple and orange from where the sun is setting.

The last of the setting sun glints off of my curly, blonde hair and I allow myself to really look at myself in the mirror this time. Tan skin – the sun –kissed kind, not enough to be dark and make my grey eyes look out of place, but not pale enough for the light to reflect off of. Just a right amount of sun. The circles under my eyes are gone now, and I look passably normal. My phone rings and I look at the caller ID. Piper. "Hello?" I pick up.

"Hey Annabeth – are you ready?" Piper's voice is excited, and I smile a little, in spite of myself. "You know where to go?"

I laugh. "Piper, you've told me at least a thousand times where to go. I got it. If you're the one who is so nervous, then maybe you should go on this blind date."

Piper laughs. "I've got Jason, so I'm good. He says hello, by the way."

"Tell him I say hi."

"I will!" Piper squeals. "It's almost time! I'd better let you go. Text me the deets!" she hangs up, and I shove my phone in my purse and take out my keys, locking the doors behind me, putting in my headphones and turning on a James Taylor song.

"_Why do you listen to this crap anyways?"_

"_Oh, so the stuff you listen to is any better?"_

"_At least the stuff I listen to is relevant!"_

"_To what? The fact that you're a jerk?"_

The memory hits me like a wave and I shake my head. It's better not to think of those days.

I jump into my car and shut the door, plugging in my iPod so I can still listen to my music. I turn the key in the ignition and start down the street, to a café where I'm supposed to be meeting him. Whoever he is.

_Walked in expecting you'd be late__  
__But you got here early and you stand and wave__  
__I walk to you__  
__You pull my chair out and help me in__  
__And you don't know how nice that is__  
__But I do_

The café is lively. The dark green walls and wooden floors reflect a warmness, a coziness. The tables and chairs are wooden too – with different photographs from the 1930s and 40s. Abstract paintings hang on the walls, as well as old newspaper clippings advertisings important events from back in 1945. People sit in booths and at tables, drinking coffee and tea. Waiters and waitresses walk around with notepads in hand, and warm lamp light from the numerous lamps placed throughout the room gives the place a genial glow. A hostess in a black shirt and pants walks over. Her hair is blonde too, but obviously dyed, as the brown roots are showing. She glances at me. "Table?" she asks, smirking at me a bit. "Actually, I'm meeting someone here," I say, glancing around at the tables. "However, I don't know if he's – "

"Annabeth? Annabeth Chase?"

A voice calls out my name from behind the hostess – a voice I don't recognize. This must be him. The hostess's eyes widen as I walk past her and –

"Hi, I'm Percy. Percy Jackson."

Messy, ink black hair – the kind that looks effortlessly good – as if he didn't even bother to mess with it. Jeans and a t – shirt – casual and nice. Muscular, but not overly so – a bit subtly, actually. Strong jaw line, the angles of his face set in a slight smirk which does nothing to detract from the attractiveness of his face. And those eyes – a beautiful green color that I can already feel myself falling into. Effortlessly handsome. Effortlessly and incredibly handsome.

It's then that I realize that this incredibly handsome man is holding out his hand to shake, I blush and shake it. It was warm, comfortingly so, and it sends shivers up my spine. _Pull yourself together, Annabeth!_ I internally scold myself, and manage to smile at him. "I am Annabeth Chase, last time I checked," I joke, trying to ease this somewhat awkward first meeting. It works. Percy chuckles and says, "Come on, I have a table and everything."

He leads me to the table, and when we get there, he pulls out a chair for me, and I smile at the kind gesture. But as I go to sit down, another flashback hits me.

"_You'll love this place, I promise."_

_We walk into the new steakhouse where he says he made reservations. _

"_I'm starving!" _

_He pulls out a chair for himself and sits down, immediately picking up the menu and looking over it. I stand hesitantly, frowning. Isn't this the part where he's the gentleman and pulls out a chair? Not that I've ever been a stickler for things like this… but this is only our 3__rd__ date._

"_What are you waiting for, me to pull out your chair? Newsflash: chivalry is dead." He rolls his eyes._

_And even though it's only our third date as official boyfriend and girlfriend, I already have a bad feeling that we won't work out._

"Annabeth? You okay?"

Percy's voice jerks me back to myself. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see the hostess from before smirking at me, holding the menus. I smile nervously at Percy. "I'm fine," I reassure him, sitting down and tucking my dress under me. "Thanks."

A bright and a bit goofy and mischievous smile plays across his face as he sits down across from me. "No problem."

_And you throw your head back laughing  
like a little kid…  
I think it's strange that you think I'm funny 'cause  
he never did  
and I've been spending the past 8 months  
thinking all love ever does is break  
and burn and end  
but on a Wednesday, in a café  
I watched it begin again_

We order, and the waitress bats her eyes at Percy, silently begging him to notice her, but he doesn't – only giving her a polite smile as he hands her his menu. After she leaves with a slight pout, Percy looks at me, a smile on his face. "So, Miss Chase, tell me about yourself." He says, leaning back a bit in his chair.

"First of all, don't call me 'Miss Chase' – Annabeth is fine," I say, taking a sip of the Dr. Pepper I ordered. He grins.

"Fair enough," he concedes, waiting for me to continue.

I swirl my straw around in the soda, listening to the ice cubes make a tinkling sound as they hit the glass. "I'm studying to be an architect," I finally say, looking up at him. He nods. "I'm studying to be a marine biologist," he says frankly.

I think. "I have dyslexia. And ADHD."

Percy gasps dramatically. "No way no way! So do I!" he exclaims, his voice high pitched to sound like a teenage girl. I laugh. "Seriously?"

He nods, laughing as well. "Yup! My teachers hated me. If I couldn't read it, I couldn't understand it. Plus I never really started studying seriously 'til college."

"My teachers loved me," I say, smiling. "I finished high school at the top of my class – valedictorian."

"Teacher's pet," he says, winking at me and smiling mischievously.

I roll my eyes playfully, blushing at the wink. "Seaweed Brain."

He raises an eyebrow. "Seaweed Brain?"

I nod, grinning. "Yep – you're going to be a marine biologist, and you never studied in high school. The obvious conclusion is that your brain is full of seaweed."

Percy throws his head back and laughs. He laughs and laughs, and I can feel myself grow a little self – conscious at his laughter. After it subsides, he looks at me again, those green eyes sparkling. "That was a good joke," he says.

I smile. "It wasn't a joke, Seaweed Brain," I tease.

He pouts a bit, and I suddenly wonder what he was like as a little kid – all energy and excitement one minute and solemn the next. "You aren't going to keep calling me that, are you?"

"Of course I am, Seaweed Brain," I say, sticking my tongue out at him playfully. I suddenly feel that I am a kid again, endlessly teasing and having fun and joking around.

Percy smirks at me, and my breath catches in my throat. _Why did he have to be so damn attractive?_

"I guess you'll need a nickname then," he says, smirk still in place.

And as the food comes, and the night wears on, and Percy entertains me with his high school antics and makes me blush with subtle compliments, much to my dismay, I can already feel myself falling in love with Percy Jackson.


	2. Chapter 2: Everything Has Changed

**Thank you for all of the positive response so far! :) I'm glad you guys like it so far – I was really happy when I saw all of the alerts in my email. **

**Happy 2013! This is the start of a new year, let's make it awesome :)**

**TheSortingHatsHorocrux****: I know they don't – that's why it's AU, so they aren't demigods :)**

**Guest: Thank you! I'm glad you liked it :) And I hope you enjoy Chapter 2!**

**Without further ado, Chapter 2!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own PJO or HoO. Or Taylor Swift's album and lyrics. **

Chapter 2: Everything Has Changed

_All I knew this morning when I woke  
Is I know something now, know something now I didn't before  
And all I've seen since 18 hours ago is  
green eyes and freckles  
and your smile in the back of my mind making me feel like  
I just want to know you better  
know you better know you better now_

I wake up to a cloudy Thursday morning and a smile on my face.

As I stand in my kitchen, making coffee and eggs, I can't help but flash back to last night – to the date. To Percy.

"_You sure you'll be okay?" Percy asked, walking me to my car._

"_Yes, Seaweed Brain – my car is literally two feet away," I said with a smile, and Percy rolled his eyes. "Excuse me for trying to be chivalrous," he teased, and I laughed. "Don't worry, it's always appreciated."_

_He smiled, then. "Hey, can I see your phone?" _

_I nodded, blushing a bit, and handed it to him. He plugged in his number and handed it back to me. I laughed when I saw that he had put his contact name as 'Seaweed Brain'._

"_I see you're finally accepting it!" I said, laughing. _

_He rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Wise Girl," he said, grinning. I raised an eyebrow at him. "Wise Girl? That's the best you could come up with?"_

"_Well – um," he said, looking for a suitable comeback. I laughed. "That's what I thought." _

_He smirked, stepping closer to me, and my breath caught in my throat. He was close enough that I could smell him - the ocean breeze on a hot summer day, the one that gently cools you down as the sun beats down on you. It was refreshing… comforting. "I... I had a great time tonight, Annabeth," he said, smiling softly down at me. "So did I," I said, getting lost in his eyes again. He leaned down, and I froze. What if he kissed me? Sure, he was handsome, funny, kind… but I wasn't sure if I was ready for this. _

_I shut my eyes as his lips barely brushed my cheek – and where his lips had touched my skin, I felt a tingling – a burning – and I suddenly wanted him to do it again._

_I opened my eyes to see him smiling at me – and I couldn't help but smile back. It was a natural instinct with him – to smile back like that. "I'll see you around," he said, turning and walking away without a look back._

The smell of burning eggs shakes me out of my reverie as I curse and turn off the stove, dumping the eggs in the trash. "There goes my breakfast," I say out loud, checking the fridge. No more eggs.

I'm about to resign myself to a bowl of Cheerios for breakfast, just like any other day, when my phone rings. I check the ID. Piper – no doubt wanting to know all of the details of last night's date.

"Hey Piper."

"Don't 'Hey Piper' me, Annabeth! Tell me ALL about last night! How was it? Did you like Percy? Is he a good kisser?"

I blush at the last question. "Geez Piper, it's only 7:30 AM. Please spare me the third degree."

I can practically see Piper roll her eyes. "Fine – we are going out to breakfast then. You and me. 8 AM – that breakfast place by my apartment. And then we're having a girl's day. You have to tell me everything!"

Before I can object, she hangs up. I laugh to myself as I hang up the phone and head into the bathroom to shower and get ready. 20 minutes later, in a t - shirt and jeans, I head out the door.

"Hey Annabeth!"

Piper greets me with a smile and a hug as I walk into 'Yolk' – a breakfast place that, lo and behold, specializes in eggs. The host smiles at us. "Table for two?"

Piper nods, and we make small talk while we walk to a table by the window – ample opportunity to spy on the people walking along the shops. After we sit down and order, Piper's smile grows bigger. "So tell me everything!" She says, her kaleidoscope eyes twinkling.

As we wait for the food to come, I regale her with all the details of the date, ending with the kiss on the cheek. Piper's smile turns devious as she says "So… what did you think of him?"

I blush, and Piper's eyes widen. "You like him – a lot."

"How do you know?"

Piper rolls her eyes. "I've known you since high school, Annabeth – this is what? 8 years later? I can tell when you really like someone – and this is definitely not the same as –"

She stops, realizing that I've gone pale. "Oh, Annie I'm so-"

"Don't call me Annie," I say crisply, taking a sip of my orange juice, and Piper smiles wryly. "There's the Annabeth we all know and love," she jokes, and I crack a small smile. Piper turns serious. "So – are you planning to take this farther?"

_Cause all I know is we said hello  
And your eyes look like coming home  
All I know is a simple name, everything has changed  
All I know is you held the door  
You'll be mine and I'll be yours  
All I know since yesterday is everything has changed_

"I – I think so. I've just never felt this way before, you know? Like, every time I close my eyes, I can see his smile, his eyes – and I can't help but want to."

The food comes, and we pause, gratefully taking it and starting to dig in.

Piper studies me and nods. "You have it bad," she says, taking a bite of her omelet. "I met Percy when Jason and I started dating – they're roommates – and I know he wouldn't do anything like… well, you know."

I nod slowly. "So why did you decide to set us up like that?"

Piper grins. "I love playing Matchmaker!" I roll my eyes at this, remembering a couple years ago when she had tried to set me up with Travis Stoll, the mischievous counterpart in a set of twins who had a penchant for filling my locker with fake spiders once he had figured out that I was deathly afraid of them. Piper, convinced that this was a sign of his undying love for me, set us up on a date. Long story short, I agreed to help win over the girl of his dreams, Katie Gardner, if he stopped with the spiders. According to the last email from Katie, they are still going strong.

Piper's smile falters. "The other reason is that after the break up, you spent all your time in your apartment, and I thought maybe, you'd get over him and start being… social. And when you didn't, I remembered that Jason's roommate had broken up with his girlfriend in May – something about being better off as friends – and so I thought: why not?"

"What? I'm over him," I scoff, and Piper just looks at me. "Then why do you get upset every time I mention him?"

"Alright, so I'm a bit sore. I'll get over it eventually – it just takes a while to heal. But I really like Percy, and… I want this to work. Whatever 'this' is."

Piper nods. "Good." She reaches for her wallet, pulling out a couple of bills and setting them under her glass to pay for the meal, and I add some of my own to cover the tip. Piper stands and smiles at me. "Now – we're going shopping."

_And all my walls stood tall painted blue  
But I'll take them down, take them down and  
open up the door for you  
And all I feel in my stomach is butterflies - the beautiful kind  
Making up for lost time, taking flight, making me feel like  
I just want to know you better know you better know you better now_

A couple hours later, I stumble through my apartment doors, laden with bags. Piper would never boast about this, but her father is Tristan McClean – the famous actor. So she has a lot of money. She never really uses it – paying the rent on her apartment with the money she earns from working at the University coffee shop – except for going shopping. Hence, I get dragged along, not intending to buy anything, and Piper always manages to convince me to buy a few things, before adding things to my measly selections – which then turn into a mountain of things. And whenever I try and pay for said things, she waves me off and pulls out her credit card. "All the money my Dad gives me is for rent and stuff – but I have that covered. May as well spend it – besides, you're my best friend. I can buy you clothes if I want to."

I set my bags on the floor, glad to be rid of the heavy burden – I was never unathletic, for all of my studiousness, but bags of clothes get really heavy after carrying them around the mall for a couple of hours.

It's 7 PM, and the last of the light from outside streams in my window, and I'm suddenly reminded of the one person who's been on my mind all day. Instantly those sea-green eyes and his smile make themselves present in the front of my mind, and I can't help but blush at remembering them. Instantly I pull up my phone and bring up his contacts, sending him a text.

_Hey_ _Seaweed Brain – it's Annabeth._

As I put the new clothes in my closet, my phone beeps, and my heart accelerates a little as I see a new text from Percy.

_**Hey Wise Girl ;)**_

My response is instantaneous.

_Still on 'Wise Girl' I see – I knew you couldn't come up with anything better!_

_**Psh, well – didn't I tell you not to call me Seaweed Brain?**_

_Yeah… so?_

_**So you shouldn't call me it then!**_

_Eh, I have a habit of not listening to you._

_**I'm wounded, Wise Girl.**_

_Mission Accomplished! :D_

_**That one hurt. Right here.**_

… _I can't see you Seaweed Brain._

_**Well I was pointing to my heart!**_

As the banter continues, I can feel the barriers around my heart falling away – and my smile grow at each cheeky response Percy comes up with. Finally, I get a text that sets the butterflies in my stomach fluttering away.

_**Hey, are you free Saturday?**_

My heart pounds as I answer.

_Yeah – why?_

_**Um, I was wondering if you wanted to go to dinner – not like the café, but a really nice restaurant I know.**_

_Yeah – I'd love to go._

_**Cool – I'll pick you up at seven?**_

_Yeah – I'll see you then._

I put my phone on my bedside table as butterflies in my stomach increase, and I can't help but wonder: _What have I gotten myself into?_


	3. Chapter 3: Author's Note

Hello dear readers!

I apologize profusely for my long absence. Please don't beat me with shovels. Or pitchforks. Or… anything, really.

School is driving me insane, and life has been overall, really hectic.

I know, I know – that isn't a good excuse. Isn't life for everyone hectic? Yes, yes it is. A part of the problem is that I'm a procrastinator, and with AP classes to contend with, I've been overwhelmed with schoolwork.

I was actually planning to sit down today and really plow through some chapters – I'd been itching to write down ideas, and I was all excited to get back to you guys – especially since all you reviewers have been amazing. Thank you for your kind words :)

Then the unspeakable happened. My friend committed suicide last night.

… To say that I'm in shock is an understatement.

I don't know why she did it – and I can't imagine what must have happened that made her think that it was the only way out. But she did. And I'm heartbroken that she thought that it was the only way to end whatever pain she must've been feeling. And I would've done anything, anything to make sure that she would still be alive today.

And I am just so utterly sad. So, so, so sad.

I'm telling you all this because I want to say something that you all have probably heard before, but that is so important.

Please, if you ever, ever feel like committing suicide is the only way out, talk to someone. A friend, a teacher, a parent, a counselor, anyone. You're not alone – and people care about you. You only live once (yes yes, YOLO) and when it's over, it's over – you don't get a redo. You don't get a rewind. Life is hard, it always will be – but what comes down always goes back up. Those great moments in life? Those are worth living for. Those are always worth living for. If we gave up every time something utterly disastrous happened, the human race would probably be extinct. No joke! I mean, look at history – some pretty crappy stuff has happened throughout history. But you know what? We just kept going. And here we are today.

And you matter. No matter what anyone says, you matter.

And the saddest part is that I didn't even get to say goodbye. She's just gone, and I can't get her back. And I don't want any of you to ever have to feel that way. If you have – I know how you feel. And I can relate, and it sucks. Have a virtual hug.

So please, again: if you ever feel like committing suicide is the only way out, please talk to someone. Heck, talk to me if you want! Just PM me or something – I check my email like all the time (in hope that my favorite FF stories are updated, or in hope that some kind soul has reviewed my story) and so I'll probably reply. You don't even have to tell me your name – you can be totally anonymous. And that's totally fine.

Remember that there will never be another you – no one can replace you. And nobody wants to.

So, dear readers, with that said, I will try and update ASAP – I'm really blocked right now – all I can feel is sadness, and pain – so I might not be writing again for another couple of days. I'm sorry :/

Thank you for reading – and have a great evening… I think the Oscars are on right now, so um, go ahead and watch those! Yeah. I'll see you all soon!

- Shaft of Light


End file.
